Because of its antihistamine effects, it can be used for the treatment of severe cases of itching, hyperalgesia, and motion sickness-induced nausea; it has also been used in some cases to relieve the effects of opioid withdrawal. Even though it is an effective sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic, it shares virtually none of the abuse, dependence, addiction, and toxicity potential of other drugs used for the same range of therapeutic reasons. Hydroxyzine has also been used to potentiate the analgesia of opioids and to alleviate some of their side effects, such as itching, nausea, and vomiting.